Dental prosthesis and device



Sept. 1l, 1951 R. N. HARPER 2,567,810

DENTALv PROSTHESIS AND DEVICE Filed sept. 13, 1948 s sheets-sheet 1 Sept. 11, 1951 Filed Sept. 15, 1948 R. N. HARPER 2,567,810

DENTAL PROSTHESIS AND lDEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheei'I 2 Sept. 11, 1951 R. N. HARPER DENTAL. PROSTHESIS AND DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 13, 1948 llllllllll in some individual cases varies in the horizontal plane.

Among all these variables it was found, however, that there is no change in the position or dimension of the papilla; or the Median Raphe in a mouth at the dentate stage from that of its position and dimensions at the edentulous stage.

It follows, therefore, that the incisive papilla may serve as a dependable reference point for a technique designed to reproduce in prosthodontia the horizontal and vertical position of the maxillary centrals; that the incisive papilla is a dependable reference point for a technique designed to reproduce the height of the natural occlusal plane; and that the incisive papilla is aj dependable reference point for a technique designed to vobtain the correct vertical dimension in full upper dentures. Furthermore', the imprint of the incisive papilla is a .dependable reference point for measuring the height of the centrals above the ridge of a denture; to reproduce the position `oi the upper centrals from an immediate denture; and to maintain, during the process of settingup the centrals, the length as well as the vanterior-posterior position, as recorded -by a bite rim. Furthermore, the incisive papilla is a dependable reference point for a technique designed to make a scientic study of any change in the height of the teeth and/o1' any preselected portion of the maxillary process. It also-follows that the incisive papilla may serve as a dependable reference point for a technique designed to makea simple symmetroscopic examination, as Well as to make a complete three dimensional survey of the maxilla for a study related to other dental sciences.

In the drawings forming a part of this application there has been shown a presently preferred form of the instrument for the execution of diagnostic technique based on the observation that the incisive papilla constitutes a stable anatomical point from which measurements may be taken. The .technique and ymethod hereininvolved will become clear as an explanation of the instrument and its use proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows asagittal cross sectional view of a pre-extraction maxillary record model with my novel dental gauge inY position for ascertainingl the length and inclination of a maxlllary central.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the gauge.

, Fig. 3 shows the gauge in position on a maxillary edentulous model having thereon a maxillary base plate, the model and base plate being shown in sagittal cross sectional view.

l Fig. 4 is a view partially in cross section showing the position of the gauge when used to measure the height and transverse position of the posterior section of the occlusal plane of an immediate or partial denture.`

Fig. 5 shows the gauge in position for measur- 'ing the height and transverse position of the posterior section of the occlusal plane on a model.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the palatal pin foot.

Fig. 7 is a view taken at 45 to Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view of the incisal table taken from below.

Fig. 9 shows the gauge in position for the making of measurements with respect to the centrals on an immediate denture.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary face view of the incisal table guide.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of an occlusal plane Stm.-

susl

Fig. 12 is a cross sectional View through the sleeve portion of the incisal table, and

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view through an occlusal plane arm and its supporting structure.-

The gauge includes a horizontal arm fI, and a vertical arm I2 arranged at right angles to the horizontal arm i0, the vertical arm I2 serving as an incisal table guide. Depending from the horizontal arm I0 in fixed position thereon is a papilla pin I4.

Adapted for movement along the vertical arm I2 is an incisal table I6 which includes a sleeve portion I8 adapted to embrace the vertical arm I2 for sliding movement therealong. The sleeve portion I8 of the incisal table has a screw threaded aperturel 20 in the front face thereof for receiving an adjusting screw 22 that bears against a tension spring 24 between its inner end and the face of the vertical arm. By means of the adjusting screw 22, the tension of the spring 24 against the face of the vertical arm I2 may be regulated for the purpose of holding the incisal table at any desired position of adjustment during a measuring operation.

One or both lateral faces of the incisal table have suitable graduations 26 marked thereon, and the outer face of the vertical incisal table guide arm I2 has graduations 28 and 36 provided along opposite edges thereof. be noted that the incisal table I6 has a passage I5 extending vertically through the horizontal arm thereof for accommodating the papilla pin I4 with the axis thereof coinciding with the zero point of the scale 26.

The distally extending finger of the incisal table I6 has provided on the under surface thereof a table center line 66. It is important to know the position of the median line formed at the contact of the right and left centrals so that' the artificial teeth can be set in a normal transverse position. For this purpose the relationship of the median line and the incisal table center line 66 is noted.

The distal end of the horizontal gauge arm I6 1 has provided therein a palatal pin guide slot 32 through which apalatal pin 34 extends and in which it is adapted to operate. Seated in the palatal pin slot 32 is an internally screw threaded palatal pin bushing 36 which the screw threads 38 on the palatal pin 34 are adapted to engage. The palatal pin bushing 36 extends through a clamping collar 4D to which it is iixed, and this collar has extending laterally therefrom a screw threaded lug 42 which is adapted to pass through a clamping slot 44 in a clamping ange 46 which extends upwardly from one edge at the rear portion of the horizontal arm ID.

The clamping collar 46 is held in any adjusted position of the palatal pin bushing 36 by tightening a thumb nut 48 against the outer face of the clamping iiange 46. The palatal pin bushing 36 and the clamping collar 40 are surmounted by a. nut 50 upon `which rests on occlusal plane arm 52. The arm 52 is held in position by means of a lock nut 54.

The occlusal plane arm is best shown in Fig. l1 wherein it appears to include a bifurcated end 56, which is adapted to facilitate its assembly with the palatal pin 34. The arm 52 has provided therethrough a plurality ofl screw threaded passages 58 which are adapted to receive an occlusal plane pin 66 which is screw threaded for engagement with the internal screw threadsl of the passages 58. The occlusal plane pin may be threaded through any selected one of rthe several In this regard it is to Sii-8.49.

" vctureasurement tchemadel untilthe reduced ond-"meot theoeclusal: planefpiniisjn contact vein-th kthe sunface whose measurement vis to. 'ble determined, and atthatpoint alock nut :il maybe: utilized. lto Amaintair'i 4the adjusted @position of-V the pin 60. One or apluralityo Locclusal,plane may be provided 'in each instrument. The fue. .end `palataly pin, 134;.terminates in` .aa.ffoot:-. 68j Vwjlrch fisA bifurcatedtomore securely'restthe s emeon the relatively.- latpostdam varea of. a'

the prosthesis A.teal-inique' itl is common to provide -a pre-:extraction model .as a guide', in, the silbsequent denture structure. AccordinglmFig. Lshows' va preeextraction. maxillary record .model llwhich- -clearly shows the-bite ridge. :|2,.a modell. of- .al maxi'llary central .104i the, incisal" papilla |06, andthe rela-tive flat palatal area |08' the 'Median Raphe. Y

' -v Iter the making-of# the pre-extractionfrecolfd model, and after the resorption processihasbeerrI completed. i't.- `necessary to make a maxillary edentulous modelv .-I tof-asi shown-in Fig.. 3. .This Willi-includean `impression-.ofthe..:incisive papilla |06, and a reproduction ofi the' Median Eaphe area` |08i in thesame position andi formlsl 'found in the .pre-extraction. record I-r'iodelv @therhtissues subject tothe resorption .process Willjfha've been-altered during: resorption'- but' be-V canse'A of?. th'ezstable nature. of -theinci'sive papilla'- liand the palatal area acl-jacentvx theil Median Raphfe; it rer-nains possible, 'using v Vthese :points pantleu-larly' the papillaipoint'-, upon which toi n ieasiir'vementsVv for the 'cor-rectv` setting-#ofi i on thev pre-extraction model aridi While the papillaf pin l| #lis Arestingon a'selected spot-[vofI ttie 4incisive papilla f -I-'UG *l the horizontal arm off the gauge is brought into parallelism the' planean-anarea=0i1t11e--Median Raphe |08 and of the spot on the incisive papilla |06. by adjusting the length` and' horizontal position of palatal i pin 34 .until an area adjacentzieaohvside f'ith'e Median Raphe is 'fo'und Aon)vizhfc'l'i' .thehi-V furcations of thefoot V613 will rest flush on" the" palatal portion of-ftheniodel." The kadjustment of the dinjfis then securedby manipulating@*thedemping nut 4.8,

l The? ineisa'l table,. B. is their v.moved along. the nertlcazlfzarm 2 ,of the Vgauge ,until'fthe underfface thereof is incontact with the tooth model |04. This being a maxillary central, it will be the prosthodontist's objective to determine the length of the tooth and the inclination thereof. Ac-

cordingly, the horizontal, or anterior-posterior position as Well as the vertical inclination of the tooth can be noted on the scale 26 on the side face of the incisal table whereas its elevation or horizontal plane can be determined on the scale 30 along one edge of the vertical gauge arm.

'I'he base plate H2 is apertured to expose the impression of the papilla in the edentulous model and it is also apertured to expose the face of the model in the Median Raphe area wherein the palatal pin is adapted to rest. In transferring the measurements of the central, it is merely necessary to transfer the gauge from the pre-extraction model onto the edentulous model with the foot of the palatal pin 34 and the papilla pin resting on the same areas of the Median Raphe of the edentulous model. It is possible then to seat the articial lcentral in the base plate H2 swuns laterally with respect@ theuhorieon arm :l0 Off: the 1 ganse until the foeclllselv nim-6 0f 4is Ain anositionww the, :posterior: eenmaalnlarefs to undetermined; The; nin' .85 is'theleulowered into .contactfwith :the-ton vvmodel I4, and such adjustment is maintained the look; nut; .54.. The; measurementso ontained;,isi then transierredto.. .theiedentulous xnnclelA where, itisy used to.; d eterm1-1e.the;eranI position of that part of the posterior.:-secizion#ein` the; oclusalf:plane.KY under exa-xnmation. i

method is;:equally-foneratiye.fandthe.sauce y-eiectiveto transfermeasurementsffronr an mmediatedentur topaibaseiplateor; agneiv;A` denture because then sie plateilwiillfhaveardistinetf impressioncorrespondine,tothe incisivefpapillai 'En .inrFi :9,:theimmediate-denture.;:tiranni: inv d ananllavrdseressionlz .with menthe' panil pini M mante oriented. to. dei term ethe lenethrnostionfor; the. .ineisal edges;

it-eee!.SdefofthaMe nmgiarle isfoilnd.; on which the bifurcations of the footei Willlestg' flush on. the salataV portion. denture; .In

tion. of they ventcal l plane; may; be. readV onftna See-1? ,2i YIn.: this ses, .p however, the horizontal; Plane 'offtheinisal edg.ofthe central 1s reed @ofthe `fac.ia.l.;lina1 eze annearinsfaions one edges Qf'theivertieal amil 2I anthems-1e- Irl-accadono@ with this practice, the measurements so taken can be directly transferred to a base plate of a. new denture in which the central is to be set.

The same procedure is followed in determining the occlusal plane of the maxilla posteriors of a. denture as shown in Fig. 4. Here the papilla Din I4 is again positioned on the papilla depression in the roof of the base plate |24, the horizontalv arm I0 of the gauge is brought into parallelism by adjusting the palatal pin 34 and the occlusal plane pin 60 is adjusted until its reduced point 62 is'in contact with the base plate |24. 'I'he occlusal plane of the posterior |26 may now be determined by measuring with calipers the distance between the occlusal surface of the posterior |26 and the plane of the occlusal arm. With this measurement known, the same can be transferred to a new denture simply by duplieating the conditions prevailing when the measurement was made on the model denture.

It will appear, therefore. from `the foregoing that a method and instrument have been pro atae-id vided foideterx'nini'ng the critical planes of key teeth and for transferring such measurements either from immediate dentures or pre-extraction models to edentulous Amodelsl and base plates-for 'the proper ttingofartificial-teeth in base plates of dentures under construction.v yIt will also appear from the foregoingVA that infeach intstance the ystable anatomical point-provided-by the inA cisive papilla has been employed as the reference point for -both anterior and posterior measure-l ments. The gauge: hereinshownis I simply a Vcon-Y venient vinstrumentality for .determining Vand transferring the measurementslunder question, and the form thereof Ymay bevaried within the limits ofconvenience so long as the incisive papilla -is usedas thefreferencepoint rfrom which the gauge is operated. Theknowledgethat the incisive papilla -is ra stableV reference Y point `mayh be the. basis for the-design for instruments for the-general orthodontic survey of the lmaxillary denture. Y g .Having described the methodiand one form of the device yfor conveniently practicingithe method.A what-Iiclaim` as my inventionisv definedV in thefollowing: n Y

1. In a-dentalgauge fordetermining the position` of .teeth in the maxillary, archfa base member .consisting` of a horizontal arm and alvertical arm, a papilla pin depending from the under face of said horizontal arm in parallel relation to said vertical arm, the free end of said pin being adapted to rest on the impression ofthe incisive papilla of the maxilla, a vertically adjustable pin extending downwardly from the distal end 'ofY said horizontal armvior adjustablysupporting the distal end of said horizontal arm, means-for supporting said pin on said arm for sliding-movementtherealong whereby the samemay be located'k over the Vpost-dam. area of the arch, a scale on av face of .said vertical arm and an incisal table -having'a `distally extending fingerv slidably mounted on the vertical arm of saidbase for measuring the hori- .zontal and vertical position of-the incisal edge of anterior teeth..y Y -Y 2. In a dental gauge for determining the position-ofthe teeth inthe maxillary arch, a. base member -consisting of f a horizontal arm yand a vertical arm having a distally--extendi'ng incisor measuring table having a finger extending therefrom -mounted forsliding movement along said vertical arm, a xed papilla pin depending fromthe under face of said horizontal arm in parallelv relation to said vertical arm for supporting the forward end 'ofsaid horizontal ar' cna selected surface. a papilla pin passage in the nger ofv said table to permit the free movement of said table along said vertical arm, and a vertically` adjustable pin Vextending through the distal end of said horizontal arm for adjustably supporting the distal end of lsaid horizontal arm. i

3. In a dental gaugev for determining the position of teeth in the maxillary arch, a base mem.- ber consisting of a horizontal arm and a vertical arm, a papilla pin depending from the under side. of said horizontal arm in parallel relation to said vertical arm, the free end of said pin being adapted to rest on the impression of the incisive papilla of the maxilla, a vertically adjustable pin extending through the distal end of said horizontal arm for adjustably supporting the distal end of said horizontal arm, and an occlusal plane arm having a vertically adjustable occlusal plane pin at the free end thereof, said arm being pivotally supported at one end at the distal end of said horizontal arm.

4. In a dental gauge for determiningthe posi-y tion of teeth in the maxillary arch, a base member consisting of a horizontal arm and a vertical arm, a papilla pin depending from the under side of said horizontal arm in parallel relation to said vertical arm, the free end of said pin being adapted to rest on the impression of the incisive papilla of the maxilla, a horizontally and vertically adjustable pin extending through the distal end of said horizontal arm for adjustably supporting the distal end of said horizontal arm, an incisal table having a distally extending finger slidably mounted on the vertical arm of said base for measuring the horizontal and vertical position of the incisal edge of anterior teeth, an occlusal plane arm pivotally mounted at one of its ends on the distal end of said horizontalarm, and a vertically adjustable pin in the free end of said occlusal plane arm for locating the occlusal plane of posterior teeth.

ROBERT N. HARPER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the' file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS n Date 

